Cranberry Orange Turkey Breast
Roasted turkey breast is a great alternative to cooking a whole turkey when you have a small gathering on Thanksgiving or crave a delicious turkey dinner; this is the recipe to go for. The savory, sweet, and tangy flavors blend so well that each bite is hard to resist. The tender, juicy turkey breast cooks faster and easier than a whole turkey, so you have more time to eat and less time in the kitchen.
To make this dish even tastier, I rub the turkey breast with a brown sugar and spices blend that adds festive holiday flavors. Garnish the roast with fresh cranberries and extra orange zest, fresh rosemary or thyme, right before serving for a stunning main dish. Pair it with my classic green bean casserole and expect rave reviews.
Table of contents
This sweet and savory cranberry orange turkey breast has a secret ingredient most people don’t know about—lingonberry jam. If you’ve never had this tart fruit, it tastes similar to a cranberry but not as sour. It is sweet but can sometimes be bitter when eaten raw. They add an incredible boost of tanginess that makes this dish stand alone, along with antioxidants.
Why you will love this recipe
- No hassle: Easy to make with only a few ingredients, perfect for busy weeknights and also for entertaining guests.
- Perfect for a small family gathering: Why make a whole turkey if only a few people are coming? This is much easier and faster.
- Just one pan to wash: It is so nice not to have a sink full of dishes to wash.
- It is packed with health benefits: The dish is packed with amazing flavors and protein. The berries, oranges, and turkey are all full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- It goes with anything: These flavors seem to blend well with anything. Try it with any vegetable dish.
- Yummy leftovers: Perfect fall-flavored dish with cranberries and orange zest. You will have delicious leftovers that you can store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
What you will need
- Turkey breast: I used a skin-on turkey breast of about four pounds.
- Rub: A mix of freshly minced garlic, canola oil, brown sugar to caramelize the outside for a tasty crust, dark molasses, cinnamon and nutmeg for earthy warmth, and salt and pepper.
- Sauce: This sweet, tangy sauce is my signature, and I am really proud of it. It features fresh cranberries, whole-berry cranberry sauce, orange zest and juice, cornstarch, and lingonberry jam. Lingonberry jam is my secret ingredient. It is sweet and tart, the perfect complement to cranberries. If you can’t find it, use currant jam or apple jelly.
How to prepare
Preheat the oven and prep the pan: I preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a roasting pan just big enough for the turkey breast.
Make the rub: Next, I mix all the rub ingredients in a small bowl, then rub the mixture onto the turkey breast.
Mix the sauce: Then, I mix the cranberry sauce, fresh cranberries, lingonberry jam, and orange zest in a medium bowl. Mix the orange juice with the cornstarch in a cup until the cornstarch dissolves, then stir it into the cranberry mixture.
Bake the turkey: I put the turkey breast in the pan and pour the cranberry sauce around it, with just a little on top. Bake for 90 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 160°F. It will continue to cook as it rests.
Rest and serve: Remove the pan and cover with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving with fresh cranberries and orange zest for garnish.
Expert tip
Checking the temperature of turkey meat
Like any poultry, cooking it to the right temperature is essential to avoid any food-borne illness. However, the meat can also become very dry if overcooked, especially breast meat. This turkey breast recipe is one of those recipes. I use a digital meat thermometer. One that stays inserted in the meat as it cooks. The alert can go to my phone or the alarm on my stove, depending on how I set it. Remove the turkey when it reaches 160°F. It will continue cooking as it rests.
More tips to consider
- Don’t pour much juice on the breast, as it may rinse off the rub.
- If it starts to get too brown, cover it loosely with foil.
- Add maple syrup, honey, vinegar, or salt to cranberry sauce if it is too bitter.
- I use boneless turkey breasts, but you can also use bone-in turkey breasts.
- For the best flavor, buy herb-marinated turkey breast since it is more tender. Just make sure you don’t buy one with an overpowering marinade, because the flavors won’t compete.
- To zest an orange, use a zester, microplane, or a box grater.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Turkey thighs: If you like dark meat, use turkey thighs instead. They will be extra juicy and have a bolder flavor, too.
- Other meat: You can also use chicken, pork loin, or beef roast.
- Mediterranean turkey: Add saffron, pomegranate seeds, pistachios, cilantro, and cloves for a Mediterranean-style turkey dinner.
- Cajun turkey: For those who enjoy some spiciness, sprinkle some Cajun seasoning into the mixture.
- Other citrus: Instead of orange, try this with lemon or lime juice and zest.
- Different fruit: You can also substitute cherries or raspberries for cranberries.
- Change the jam: If you can’t find lingonberry jam, use cranberry jam or orange marmalade.
- Slow cooker: Prepare the sauce and the rub as directed in the recipe. Add the turkey to the slow cooker and add the sauce around it. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for about 6-7 hours. The turkey breast should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Serving suggestions:
The classics never fail you; I love serving this roasted turkey breast with sweet potato casserole or creamy mashed sweet potatoes. If I am hosting Thanksgiving, I usually make a big feast, and also include corn casserole, pumpkin gratin, and the cheesiest potato gratin with béchamel sauce.
Holiday beverages always have to include pumpkin spice. I have a Starbucks copycat pumpkin spice latte recipe to try that tastes exactly like the original, only better! Looking for the right wine for this meal? Riesling is the overall most popular with both turkey and cranberries. For dessert, these sweet and fluffy cranberry orange muffins or pecan pie tarts would be perfect.
How to store:
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate for up to four days in an airtight container.
- Freezing: After it fully cools, wrap in plastic, then in foil, and place it in a freezer bag for up to three months.
- Defrost: Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight for best results.
- Reheating: To reheat, microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Overcooking is the number one cause of dry turkey breast. If there is one thing to remember about this recipe, use a meat thermometer. Use one that stays in the meat as it cooks and alerts you when it is time to take it out. Set it to 160 degrees F because it will finish cooking while it rests. It can’t be dry if you follow that rule. I use a digital meat thermometer every time. Another way to ensure juicy meat is to brine it for 12-24 hours in a mixture of 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of sugar, fresh herbs, and peppercorns. Be sure to rinse the meat before cooking.
I prefer to use boneless turkey breast because it is easier to slice and cooks more evenly. I get mine fresh instead of frozen, and sometimes, it is already seasoned. Just make sure it isn’t seasoned with anything too overpowering. A bone-in turkey breast is larger and has both breasts connected to the bone, weighing up to 12 pounds. It will take longer to cook this type of turkey breast. The other kind is a roast with light and dark meat that is already seasoned.
In that case, I would use another berry jam, like blueberry or blackberry, but I would look for whole-berry jam. I also recommend this recipe with plum jam; it’s a beautiful fall combination for those looking for something sweeter instead of tarter.
More holiday dinners:
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Cranberry Orange Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 turkey breast about 4-5lb
Rub Blend:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon dark molasses
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce:
- 2 cups cranberries fresh
- 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 14 ounces
- 1/2 cup Lingonberry Jam can be replaced with cranberry jam or orange marmalade
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 orange zested
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Pinch the turkey breast all over with a fork.
- Add all the "Rub Blend" ingredients to a small bowl and mix. Rub well onto the turkey breast and set aside.
- Add all the cranberry sauce, lingonberry jam, fresh cranberries, and orange zest to a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
- Combine orange juice with cornstarch in a cup, whisk to combine, and stir into the cranberry mixture.
- Lightly grease a roasting pan big enough for the turkey breast. Don't use a very large pan; the breast needs to fit snugly.
- Add the seasoned turkey breast to the roasting pan and pour the cranberry sauce around it. Don't pour much on top of the breast, as you want it to roast nicely without burning.
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the turkey breast reaches an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees F.
- Remove the roasting pan from the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing the turkey.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries and extra orange zest before serving.
Notes
Checking the temperature of turkey meat
Like any poultry, cooking it to the right temperature is essential to avoid any food-borne illness. However, the meat can also become very dry if overcooked, especially breast meat. This turkey breast recipe is one of those recipes. I use a digital meat thermometer. One that stays inserted in the meat as it cooks. The alert can go to my phone or the alarm on my stove, depending on how I set it. Remove the turkey when it reaches 160°F. It will continue cooking as it rests.More tips to consider
- Don’t pour much juice on the breast, as it may rinse off the rub.
- If it starts to get too brown, cover it loosely with foil.
- Add maple syrup, honey, vinegar, or salt to cranberry sauce if it is too bitter.
- I use boneless turkey breasts, but you can also use bone-in turkey breasts.
- For the best flavor, buy herb-marinated turkey breast since it is more tender. Just make sure you don’t buy one with an overpowering marinade, because the flavors won’t compete.
- To zest an orange, use a zester, microplane, or a box grater.
Nutrition
This looks amazing for the holidays! I love your vibrant photos!
This is so perfect for the holidays!
Oh my gosh! This looks so good! What a great way to change up your turkey!
I am in heaven! So yummy!
Turkey breasts are a wonderful meal idea, especially for those not cooking for a crowd. This looks absolutely delicious!
I’ve got to try this Cranberry Orange Turkey Breast tasty recipe soon!
Looks and sounds so tasty. As soon as Costco gets their fresh cranberries I am going to cook this for the family.
This is such a delicious flavor combination!!
I love this recipe! I have made it several times, alternating meats each time. I’ve done turkey breast, ham, pork loin and a pork shoulder butt! The pork shoulder butt was my favorite, and I even made it into a pulled pork type of sandwich. It’s always a huge hit no matter what I mix up!
Did you put the lid of the roasting pan while roasting Turkey or leave it uncovered?
i left it uncovered
The tender apple slices were perfectly spiced, creating wonderful pockets of warmth throughout the buttery, golden-brown cake. I loved how the crispy, almost cookie-like top layer contrasted beautifully with the gooey apple filling beneath.
Probably the best turkey breast I’ve had! Nice and juicy, the cranberry orange sauce is fantastic. We will definitely make this again for Thanksgiving or Christmas!